Quick connect mechanism for a draw stud assembly

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for creating holes in a workpiece includes a knockout punch tool having a movable piston. The apparatus also includes a draw stud assembly having a connector attachable to the movable piston, a draw stud, and a quick connect mechanism including mating first and second thread segments on the connector and the draw stud, respectively. The connector and the draw stud are movable between a first relative orientation where the mating first and second thread segments are misaligned to permit axial movement between the connector and the draw stud, and a second relative orientation where the mating first and second thread segments are aligned and engaged to inhibit axial movement between the connector and the draw stud.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/210,334 filed on Jul. 14, 2016, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/192,308 filed on Jul. 14, 2015,the entire contents of both of which are incorporated by referenceherein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to quick connect mechanisms, and more particularlyto quick connect mechanisms for draw stud assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Draw stud assemblies are typically used in conjunction with a knockoutpunch tool for creating holes in a workpiece. Such draw stud assembliesusually include a draw stud, a punch threaded to a first end of the drawstud, a die through which the draw stud extends, and a connectorthreaded to a second end of the draw stud to facilitate attachment ofthe draw stud assembly to a movable piston of the punch tool. Inoperation, the punch is first threaded to the first end of the drawstud, and the draw stud is inserted through a pre-made hole in theworkpiece having a nominal diameter sufficient to fit the draw stud. Thedie is then inserted over the draw stud and onto the workpiece, with thethreaded second end of the draw stud protruding through a hole in thedie. The connector is then threaded to the second end of the draw studto secure the draw stud assembly onto the workpiece, and the connectoris attached to the movable piston of the punch tool before the punchtool is actuated. After the punch creates a hole in the workpiece, thedraw stud assembly must be disassembled by unthreading the connector,the punch, or both from the draw stud before being reassembled again fora subsequent punching operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides, in one aspect, an apparatus for creating holesin a workpiece. The apparatus includes a knockout punch tool having amovable piston. The apparatus also includes a draw stud assembly havinga connector attachable to the movable piston, a draw stud, and a quickconnect mechanism including mating first and second thread segments onthe connector and the draw stud, respectively. The connector and thedraw stud are movable between a first relative orientation where themating first and second thread segments are misaligned to permit axialmovement between the connector and the draw stud, and a second relativeorientation where the mating first and second thread segments arealigned and engaged to inhibit axial movement between the connector andthe draw stud.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent byconsideration of the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a draw stud assembly in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a ball pull of the draw stud assembly of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the ball pull of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a draw stud of the draw stud assembly ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the draw stud ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the draw stud assembly of FIG. 1, shownwith the ball pull detached from the draw stud, positioned on aworkpiece.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the draw stud assembly of FIG. 1, shownwith the ball pull attached to the draw stud, positioned on theworkpiece and ready for a punching operation.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a draw stud assembly in accordance with anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of a ball pull of the draw studassembly of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a draw stud of the draw stud assemblyof FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the draw stud ofFIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a draw stud assembly in accordance with yetanother embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a side view of a connector and a ball pull of the draw studassembly of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view of the ball pull of FIG. 13

FIG. 15 is a side view of a draw stud of the draw stud assembly of FIG.12.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood thatthe phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a draw stud assembly 10 for use with a knockout punchtool (not shown) in punching holes in a workpiece. The assembly 10includes a draw stud 18 defining a longitudinal axis A and a removableconnector, which in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 is a ball pull14, that secures the draw stud 18 to the knockout punch tool.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the ball pull 14 includes a cylindricalbody 22 having a cylindrical bore 26 defined at least partially by aback wall 30, and a ball or spherical-shaped portion 28 integrallyformed with the cylindrical body 22 that is attachable to a piston ofthe knockout punch tool. The ball pull 14 also includes a pair ofopposed coarse thread segments 32 formed within the bore 26 and a pairof opposed unthreaded portions 34 directly adjacent the coarse threadsegments 32 that extend the length of the bore 26. The individualthreads in each thread segment 32 may be helical (i.e., define a helixangle relative to a longitudinal axis of the ball pull 14) or orientedtransverse to the longitudinal axis of the ball pull 14. The bull pull14 further includes an unthreaded, annular groove 40 that extendscircumferentially around the bore 26 and is located axially between thecoarse thread segments 32 and the back wall 30. Additionally, the ballpull 14 includes a pair of bores 36 (only one of which is shown in eachof FIGS. 2 and 3) extending through the cylindrical body 22,communicating the cylindrical bore 26 and an outer periphery of the body22. Respective stop lugs 38 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3) arereceived within the bores 36, with distal ends of the stop lugs 38extending into the cylindrical bore 26 and positioned in the annulargroove 40 adjacent the back wall 30 and the respective thread segments32. In the illustrated embodiment of the draw stud assembly 10, the stoplugs 38 are configured as pins interference or press-fit within therespective bores 36. Alternatively, the stop lugs 38 may be integrallyformed with the body 22. As a further alternative, the bores 36 and thestop lugs 38 may have corresponding threads, and the stop lugs 38 arethreaded within the bores 36.

With reference to FIG. 4, the draw stud 18 includes a first end 46having fine threads 50 that are engageable with corresponding threads ofa cutter (not shown), and an opposite, second end 54 having a pair ofcoarse thread segments 58 that are engageable with the respective coarsethread segments 32 of the ball pull 14. The individual threads in eachthread segment 58 may be helical (i.e., define a helix angle relative tothe longitudinal axis A of the draw stud 18) or oriented transverse tothe longitudinal axis A of the draw stud 18. The draw stud 18 alsoincludes opposed unthreaded portions or flats 62 adjacent the threadsegments 58. The flats 62 are positioned on opposite sides of the axis A(FIG. 5), permitting the second end 54 of the draw stud 18 to beinserted axially into the bore 26 when the flats 62 are aligned with thethread segments 32 of the ball pull 14. The draw stud 18 furtherincludes a control thread segment 66 adjacent each of the threadsegments 58, and a notch 70 in each of the control thread segments 66into which the stop lugs 38 are receivable. The control thread segments66 are configured to be rotatable within the annular groove 40 and havea thickness T that is greater than a pitch P between individual threadsin the coarse thread segments 32, 58 of the ball pull 14 and the drawstud 18. Therefore, the control thread segments 66 inhibit relativerotation between the ball pull 14 and the draw stud 18 until the secondend 54 of the draw stud 18 is fully inserted within the cylindrical bore26, with the control thread segments 66 positioned adjacent the backwall 30 and within the annular groove 40.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, a combination of the thread segments32, 58 on the ball pull 14 and the draw stud 18, respectively, defines aquick connect mechanism that facilitates quick removal and reattachmentof the ball pull 14 from the draw stud 18, as opposed to using aconventional threaded arrangement between the ball pull 14 and the drawstud 18. The ball pull 14 is rotatable about the axis A relative to thedraw stud 18 between a first relative orientation in which the ball pull14 is unlocked from the draw stud 18, and a second relative orientationin which the ball pull 14 is locked to the draw stud 18. In the firstrelative orientation, the thread segments 58 of the draw stud 18 aremisaligned with the thread segments 32 of the ball pull 14. Morespecifically, the thread segments 58 of the draw stud 18 are received byand in facing relation with the unthreaded portions 34 of the ball pull14, and the thread segments 32 of the ball pull 14 are adjacent to andin facing relation with the flats 62 of the draw stud 18, thus allowingthe second end 54 of the draw stud 18 to be axially inserted within andremovable from the cylindrical bore 26 in the ball pull 14. Also in thefirst relative orientation, the stop lugs 38 are received within therespective notches 70. In the second relative orientation, the threadsegments 58 of the draw stud 18 are engaged with the thread segments 32of the ball pull 14 and the stop lugs 38 contact the respective flats62, thereby limiting the extent to which the thread segments 32, 58 canengage by an amount equal to an arc length of the thread segments 32, 58(e.g., by approximately 90 degrees).

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the draw stud 18 is insertable througha pre-formed hole in a workpiece W having a diameter at least nominallygreater than that of the draw stud 18. A cutter (not shown) is threadedto the first end 46 of the draw stud 18 (via the fine threads 50) andmay remain attached to the draw stud 18 between consecutivehole-punching operations performed on the workpiece W. Then, a die D ispositioned atop the workpiece W with the second end 54 of the draw stud18 protruding from the die D (FIG. 6). The draw stud 18 with attachedcutter is then ready to be attached to the ball pull 14.

Prior to inserting the second end 54 of the draw stud 18 into thecylindrical bore 26, the thread segments 58, 32 of the draw stud 18 andthe ball pull 14, respectively, must be positioned in the first relativeorientation. The second end 54 of the draw stud 18 is then axiallyinserted into the cylindrical bore 26 until the second end 54 contactsthe back wall 30, at which instant the control thread segments 66 on thedraw stud 18 are aligned with the annular groove 40 and the stop lugs 38are received in the respective notches 70. The ball pull 14 is thenrotated relative to the draw stud 18 about the axis A, in a firstdirection toward the second relative orientation, thereby engaging thethread segments 32, 58 to lock the ball pull 14 to the draw stud 18. Thestop lugs 38 contact the respective flats 62 and limit the extent towhich the ball pull 14 may be rotated relative to the draw stud 18,thereby indicating the ball pull 14 and the draw stud 18 are in thesecond relative orientation and the thread segments 32, 58 are fullyengaged. Accordingly, the ball pull 14 is rotatable by an amount equalto an arc length of the thread segments 58, 32 (e.g., by approximately90 degrees). Because the thickness T of the control thread segments 66is greater than the pitch P between individual threads in the threadsegments 32 on the ball pull 14, the control thread segments 66 ensurethat the draw stud 18 cannot be prematurely rotated upon insertion intothe bore 26 (FIG. 5). Upon the ball pull 14 reaching the second relativeposition (shown in FIG. 7), it becomes locked to the draw stud 18 tothereby inhibit relative axial movement between the ball pull 14 and thedraw stud 18. Thereafter, the ball pull 14 may be attached to a pistonof a knockout punch tool (via an intermediate connector having a radialrecess through which the ball-shaped portion 28 is insertable) toinitiate a hole-punching operation.

To disconnect the ball pull 14 from the draw stud 18, the ball pull 14is rotated an opposite, second direction back toward the first relativeorientation until the stop lugs 38 are received in the respectivenotches 70 limiting further rotation, thereby disengaging the threadsegments 32, 58 so that the ball pull 14 may be quickly removed from thesecond end 54 of the draw stud 18 (FIG. 6). Thereafter, the die D may belifted from the workpiece W and the draw stud 18 may be repositioned toanother pre-formed hole in the workpiece W (with the cutter remainingattached) for a subsequent hole-punching operation. In this manner, thedraw stud assembly 10 may be quickly moved between consecutivehole-punching operations.

It should be understood that, in some embodiments, the stop lugs 38 maybe positioned on the draw stud 18 and the notches 70 may be definedwithin the bore 26 of the ball pull 14. Additionally, in someembodiments, there may be any number of corresponding thread segments32, 58 that may be rotated into and out of engagement on the ball pull18 and the draw stud 14, respectively.

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate a draw stud assembly 10 a in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention. Like components and features areidentified with like reference numerals plus the letter “a” and will notbe described again in detail. The draw stud assembly 10 a of FIGS. 8-11is substantially identical to the draw stud assembly 10 of FIGS. 1-7.However, the quick connect mechanism defined by the second end 54 a ofthe draw stud 18 a, and the bore 26 a of the ball pull 14 a isdifferent. Therefore, only this difference between the two embodimentswill be described in detail. The manner of operation of the draw studassembly 10 a of FIGS. 8-11 is essentially identical to that describedabove in connection with the draw stud assembly 10 of FIGS. 1-7.

With reference to FIG. 9, the ball pull 14 a includes several coarsethread segments 32 a formed within the bore 26 a that are evenlycircumferentially spaced about the axis A (FIG. 10), and severalunthreaded portions 34 a directly adjacent the coarse thread segments 32a, extending the length of the bore 26 a. In some embodiments, theindividual threads in each thread segment 32 a may be helical (i.e.,define a helix angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the ball pull 14a) or oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ball pull 14a. In the illustrated embodiment, there are three opposed coarse threadsegments 32 a and three unthreaded portions 34 a that are spacedapproximately 120 degrees apart about the axis A around the bore 26 a.In the illustrated embodiment, there is only one stop lug 38 a. However,in some embodiments, there may be two or three stop lugs 38 a, eachspaced approximately 120 degrees apart.

With reference to FIGS. 10-11, the second end 54 a of the draw stud 14 aincludes several coarse thread segments 58 a that are evenlycircumferentially spaced about the axis A, and engageable with therespective coarse thread segments 32 a of the ball pull 14 a. In someembodiments, the individual threads in each thread segment 58 a may behelical (i.e., define a helix angle relative to the longitudinal axis Aof the draw stud 18 a) or oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis Aof the draw stud 18 a. The draw stud 18 a also includes unthreadedportions or flats 62 a adjacent the thread segments 58 a. In theillustrated embodiment, there are three flats 62 a that areapproximately 120 degrees apart about the axis A. Likewise, three coarsethread segments 58 a alternate with the flats 62 a and are alsoapproximately 120 degrees apart about the axis A (FIG. 11). The flats 62a and the coarse thread segments 58 a of the draw stud 18 a areconfigured to permit the second end 54 a of the draw stud 18 a to beinserted axially into the bore 26 a when the flats 62 a are aligned withthe thread segments 32 a of the ball pull 14 a.

The draw stud 18 a further includes a control thread segment 66 aadjacent each of the three thread segments 58 a, and a notch 70 adefined in each of the control thread segments 66 a into which the stoplugs 38 a are receivable. Similar to the draw stud assembly 10 of FIGS.1-7, the control thread segments 66 a inhibit relative rotation betweenthe ball pull 14 a and the draw stud 18 a until the second end 54 a ofthe draw stud 18 a is fully inserted within the cylindrical bore 26 a,with the control thread segments 66 a positioned adjacent the back wall30 a and within the annular groove 40 a.

The three notches 70 a are evenly circumferentially spaced about theaxis A (i.e., the notches 70 a are spaced by approximately 120 degrees).The notches 70 a are configured such that the stop lug 38 a is receivedwithin one of the notches 70 a when the draw stud 18 a is inserted intothe bore 26 a of the ball pull 14 a while the thread segments 32 a, 58 aare in a first relative orientation. When the draw stud 18 a is rotatedrelative to the ball pull 14 a into the second relative orientation, thestop lug 38 a contacts a corresponding one of the flats 62 a.Accordingly, the notches 70 a and the flats 62 a inhibit the draw stud18 a and the ball pull 14 a from being rotated beyond the first andsecond relative orientations by limiting the extent which the threadsegments 32 a, 58 a can engage by an amount equal to an arc length ofthe thread segments 32, 58 a. In the illustrated embodiment, the drawstud 18 a and the ball pull 14 a may be rotated relative to one anotherby approximately 60 degrees about the axis A between the first andsecond relative orientations.

With continued reference to FIGS. 9-11, the quick connect mechanismfurther includes six detent recesses 90 defined in the back wall 30 aand evenly circumferentially spaced about the axis A (i.e., the detentrecesses 90 are spaced by approximately 60 degrees). The quick connectmechanism further includes a bore 92 defined in the second end 54 a ofthe draw stud 18 a extending parallel to the axis A, a detent 94 withinthe bore 92, and a biasing member (e.g., a compression spring, notshown) that biases the detent 94 upward from the frame of reference ofFIG. 11 to protrude from the bore 92 toward the ball pull 14 a in adirection parallel to axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, the detent94 is shaped as a sphere or ball. The detent 94 may be received in anyone of the detent recesses 90 when the second end 54 a of the draw stud18 a is inserted into the bore 26 a of the ball pull 14 a in the firstrelative orientation. When relatively rotating the draw stud 18 a andthe ball pull 14 a from the first relative orientation to the secondrelative orientation, the detent 94 is urged out of a first one of thedetent recesses 90 against the bias of the biasing member, until thedraw stud 18 a and the ball pull 14 a are rotated into the secondrelative orientation where the detent 94 is biased into an adjacentdetent recess 90. Accordingly, the detent 94 and the detent recesses 90provide a tactile indication that the draw stud 18 a and the ball pull14 a have been fully rotated into the second relative orientation andthe thread segments 32 a, 58 a are fully engaged. Similarly, the detent94 is urged out of the second one of the recesses 90 and biased into thefirst one of the recesses 90 when the draw stud 18 a and the ball pull14 a are returned to the first relative orientation to provide a tactileindication that the draw stud 18 a and the ball pull 14 a are in thefirst relative orientation and the thread segments 32 a, 58 a are fullydisengaged. In addition, the detent 94 inhibits the draw stud 18 a andthe ball pull 14 a from being inadvertently moved from the secondrelative orientation to the first relative orientation.

FIGS. 12-15 illustrate a draw stud assembly 10 b in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention. Like components and features areidentified with like reference numerals plus the letter “b” and will notbe described again in detail. With the exception of the second end 54 bof the draw stud 18 b having an increased threaded length, as shown inFIG. 15, the draw stud 18 b of FIGS. 12-15 is substantially similar tothe draw stud 18 a of FIGS. 8-11. Also, in the draw stud assembly 10 bof FIGS. 12-15, an intermediate connector 82 is positioned between thedraw stud 18 b and the ball pull 14 b. Therefore, only these differenceswill be described in detail.

With reference to FIG. 13, on the opposite end of the ball-shapedportion 28 b, the ball pull 14 b includes a threaded end 78 for directlyconnecting the ball pull 14 b to a piston of a knockout punch or driver.The draw stud assembly 10 b further includes an intermediate connector82 having a cylindrical body 84 that defines a recess 86 therein. Thecylindrical body 84 further defines an axial opening 88 that is axiallyaligned with the bore 26 b along the axis A. The recess 86 extendstransversely through the cylindrical body 84 to the axial opening 88.The recess 86 and axial opening 88 are configured such that theball-shaped portion 28 b may be transversely inserted into the recess 86so that the ball pull 14 b aligns axially with the draw stud 14 b alongthe axis A. And, the axial opening 88 is sized to inhibit theball-shaped portion 26 b from being removed axially from the connector82. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, the recess 86 includes awidth W1 greater than a width W2 of the ball-shaped portion 26 b,thereby creating a sufficient clearance for insertion of the ball-shapedportion 26 b therethrough. However, a width W3 of the axial opening 88is less than the width W2 of the ball-shaped portion 26 b, therebypreventing the ball-shaped portion 26 b from being pulled from the axialopening 88.

With reference to FIG. 14, the body 84 of the connector 82 defines thebore 26 b and includes coarse thread segments 32 b and unthreadedportions 34 b adjacent the coarse thread segments 32 b, extending thelength of the bore 26 b. The individual threads in each thread segment32 b may be helical (i.e., define a helix angle relative to alongitudinal axis of the connector 82) or oriented transverse to thelongitudinal axis of the connector 82. Likewise, the individual threadsin each thread segment 58 b may be helical (i.e., define a helix anglerelative to the longitudinal axis A of the draw stud 18 b) or orientedtransverse to the longitudinal axis A of the draw stud 18 b. The bore 26b extends through the connector 82 and into the recess 86. The connector82 also includes a bore 36 b (FIG. 13) that extends through thecylindrical body 84 of the connector 82 and that is configured toreceive a stop lug 38 b (FIG. 14). A distal end of the stop lug 38 bextends into the cylindrical bore 26 b and is positioned adjacent therecess 86 and one of the thread segments 32 b. In addition to preventingthe connector 82 and the draw stud 18 b from being rotated beyond thefirst and second relative orientations by limiting the extent to whichthe thread segments 32 b, 58 b can engage, the stop lug 38 b inhibitsthe second end 54 b of the draw stud 18 b from being inserted throughthe bore 26 b and into the recess 86. In some embodiments, the connector82 includes three bores 36 b spaced apart from each other byapproximately 120 degrees about the axis A, and a corresponding stop lug38 b in each bore 36 b.

The draw stud 18 b is connected to the connector 82 in the same manneras the draw stud 18 a is connected to the ball pull 14 a of the drawstud assembly 10 of FIGS. 8-11. Specifically, the second end 54 b of thedraw stud 18 b is inserted into the bore 26 b of the connector 82 whilethe thread segments 58 b, 32 b of the draw stud 18 b and the connector82, respectively, are positioned in the first relative orientation. Thedraw stud 18 b is then rotated relative to the bore 26 b to the secondrelative orientation, thereby engaging the thread segments 58 b, 32 b ofthe draw stud 18 b and the connector 82, respectively, to lock the drawstud 18 b to the connector 82, inhibiting relative axial movement of thedraw stud 18 b. The draw stud 18 b and the bore 26 b are rotatedrelative to each other by approximately 60 degrees about the axis Abetween the first and second relative orientations. Thereafter, theball-shaped portion 28 b of the ball pull 14 b, which is connected to apiston of a knockout punch or driver by the threaded end 78, istransversely inserted into the recess 86 of the connector 82.

To disconnect the draw stud 18 b from the connector 82, the draw stud 18b is rotated from the second relative orientation back to the firstrelative orientation, during which the thread segments 58 b, 32 b aremisaligned and disengaged. Thereafter, the draw stud 18 b is axiallyremoved from the connector 82.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for creating holes in a workpiece, the apparatus comprising: a knockout punch tool including a movable piston; and a draw stud assembly including a connector attachable to the movable piston, a draw stud, and a quick connect mechanism including mating first and second thread segments on the connector and the draw stud, respectively; wherein the connector and the draw stud are movable between a first relative orientation where the mating first and second thread segments are misaligned to permit axial movement between the connector and the draw stud, and a second relative orientation where the mating first and second thread segments are aligned and engaged to inhibit axial movement between the connector and the draw stud.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connector includes one of a protrusion or a recess, and wherein the one of the protrusion or the recess enables the connector to be attachable to the movable piston.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quick connect mechanism further includes a control thread segment adjacent one of the first thread segment or the second thread segment, wherein the control thread segment inhibits the connector and the draw stud from being moved from the first relative orientation to the second relative orientation when the control thread segment is circumferentially aligned with any threads in the other of the first thread segment or the second thread segment.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control thread segment is located on the draw stud axially adjacent the second thread segment.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control thread segment includes a thickness greater than a pitch between individual threads in either the first thread segment or the second thread segment.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the draw stud includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the control thread segment is on the second end.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control thread segment is adjacent the second thread segment.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the draw stud defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the connector and the draw stud are relatively rotatable about the longitudinal axis between the first relative orientation and the second relative orientation.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the quick connect mechanism further includes a stop member, coupled to one of the connector or the draw stud, engageable with an unthreaded portion on the other of the connector or the draw stud to limit an extent to which the connector is rotatable relative to the draw stud in a first direction, and a notch adjacent the unthreaded portion into which the stop member is receivable to limit an extent to which the connector is rotatable relative to the draw stud in a second direction opposite the first direction.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the stop member is coupled to the connector and adjacent the first thread segment, and wherein the notch and the unthreaded portion are defined on the draw stud.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the draw stud includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the notch is defined in the second end of the draw stud.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quick connect mechanism further includes mating third and fourth thread segments on the connector and the draw stud, respectively.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connector defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the first and third thread segments on the connector are in facing relationship on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the quick connect mechanism further includes fifth and sixth thread segments on the connector and the draw stud, respectively, wherein the first, third, and fifth thread segments are equally spaced around the longitudinal axis of the connector, and wherein the second, fourth, and sixth thread segments are equally spaced around a longitudinal axis on the draw stud.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quick connect mechanism further includes first and second unthreaded portions of the connector and the draw stud, respectively, wherein the first thread segment is in facing relationship with the second unthreaded portion of the draw stud when in the first relative orientation, and wherein the second thread segment is in facing relationship with the first unthreaded portion of the connector when in the first relative orientation.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connector includes a cylindrical body, and wherein the first thread segment is defined within a cylindrical bore in the cylindrical body.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the connector includes a ball-shaped portion extending from an end of the cylindrical body opposite the cylindrical bore.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the connector includes an axial opening on an end of the cylindrical body opposite to the cylindrical bore, and a recess extending transversely through the cylindrical body to the axial opening.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a ball pull directly attachable to the movable piston, wherein the ball pull includes a ball-shaped portion insertable through the recess and into the axial opening of the connector, wherein the axial opening is sized to inhibit the ball-shaped portion from being removed axially from the connector.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a width of the recess is greater than a width of the ball-shaped portion of the ball pull, and wherein a width of the axial opening is less than the width of the ball-shaped portion. 